S. Florida Targets Doubled In Event Of Nuclear Attack

May 14, 1987|United Press International Staff writer Avido Khahaifa contributed to this report.

TALLAHASSEE -- The number of suspected Soviet nuclear targets in Florida has doubled in the past 12 years and 8.6 million Floridians now risk death in a surprise nuclear attack, a state disaster official said Wednesday.

South Florida is a likely target.

A report prepared by the federal government, Nuclear Attack Planning Base 1990, estimates 18 million fewer Americans are currently at risk in case of a nuclear attack than were threatened in 1975.

But Kevin Bloom, spokesman for the Division of Emergency Management, said rapid population increases and growth of the state`s strategic industries have increased the number of Floridians at risk by 1.7 million since 1975.

The number of suspected Florida nuclear targets has jumped from 18 to 40, the report showed.

Bloom said that while no specific cities are named as targets, a map of likely spots shows seven points in South Florida. Four are in Dade County, two are in Broward and one is in Palm Beach County.

Broward was considered a likely target area in 1975 because of the population in Fort Lauderdale, Bloom said. Under the new guidelines, Port Everglades makes the area a likely target, he said.

The same is true of Palm Beach County, which has the Port of Palm Beach. Dade County is a likely target because of Homestead Air Force Base and the Turkey Point nuclear power plant.

Bloom said the most likely at-risk communities are in southeast Florida, central Florida and the Tampa Bay area, where ports, military bases or factories are considered excellent targets.

Bloom said the rural Panhandle counties, except communities near Pensacola`s military bases, are the safest areas in the state.

Population centers are no longer considered as targets, Bloom said, while ports, political targets, electrical power plants and chemical industry facilities are viewed as threatened in case of an attack.

Bloom said state and federal laws require his division to prepare evacuation and emergency shelter plans in case of a nuclear attack. He said most of the plans assume authorities will have several days warning before an attack.